Hands Across the Sand, a national organization fighting to protect coasts, has organized a 15-minute show of solidarity for 11 a.m. Saturday, May 21, at the Airport Beach. Participants without SUVs and beach-driving permits are asked to congregate at the airport parking lot where they can be shuttled to the beach. Then at noon, the group will hold hands at the water’s edge.
The event is usually at the Lifeguard Beach, but since the boardwalk there is being rebuilt and won’t be finished until Memorial Day, the demonstration will take place at Airport Beach.
While efforts to stop offshore oil drilling succeeded earlier this year in a five-year moratorium, other coast watchers say efforts must not cease entirely.
Dede Shelton, executive director of Hands Across the Sand, said that seismic blasting in the ocean waters off the coast is still imminent.
“Oil companies want to gain that data,” she said. “Hands Across the Sand is more important now than ever.”
For the time being, seismic survey planning work covering an enormous area off the southern half of the Atlantic coast has been put on hold while federal fisheries managers review new information about potential harm to sea turtles and marine mammals, according to a report in the Island Free Press.
Siesmic testing has been linked as a danger to marine mammals. Additionally, according to an article by National Geographic, Air-gun surveys could also scare fish away from commercially important fishing grounds along the coast.
To read more about seismic testing, click here and here.
For past coverage, click here and here.
.For more Ocracoke news, click here.
Sorry for any confusion, but the rain was coming in so we who were there at 11:00ish held the banner and hands for a show of solidarity to protect the Atlantic from drilling. We gave it our best. Thanks for all who came out.
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